Board members speak out for levy

Siuslaw School District board members Deena Mitchell and Michelle Rose spoke at Wednesday’s Kiwanis meeting in favor of the local option levy for schools. Board members have taken their case for a “yes” vote to the public.

After running a very low-key campaign, Siuslaw School District board members have been pounding the pavement, visiting civic groups and other organizations, to spread word that the school local option levy, Measure 20-215, on the May 21 ballot needs the community’s support.

A “yes” vote approves renewal of the current levy, which expires July 2014, at the same rate, 75 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value.

At a recent Kiwanis meeting, board member Michelle Rose said that even though the levy does not expire until next year, the board decided to “be proactive (by placing the measure on the ballot) because the need is great.”

“We need this to happen,” added Rose. “There is a $712,000 shortfall next year, and it’s serious. We are also losing $100,000 in timber money.”

Siuslaw School District has about 1,330 students enrolled, 63 percent of whom are on reduced or free lunches. Since 2007, state funding to public schools has been reduced by more than 13 percent. The $1 million received through the levy pays for roughly 8 percent of the school’s operating costs of a total $19 million annual budget.